Sanju Samson returned to the top-5 batsmen of IPL after playing an inning of 87* runs against Delhi. He is now at fifth position with 402 runs in 10 matches. He left behind Gill, Kohli and Sai Sudarshan with this innings.
New Delhi: Rajasthan Royals star Sanju Samson has returned to the top-5 batsmen scoring the most runs in IPL by scoring a explosive half-century against Delhi Capitals. Sanju, who played an unbeaten inning of 87 runs on 52 balls against Delhi, left behind Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli and Sai Sudarshan in the list of run-scorers. Now he has reached fifth position with 402 runs in 10 matches. Delhi opener KL Rahul has taken back the Orange Cap by defeating Abhishek Sharma (440), while Heinrich Klaasen (425) and Vaibhav Suryavanshi (404) are ahead of Sanju among the run scorers.
This season, Sanju has scored two centuries and one half century for Rajasthan. He is also the highest run scorer for his team this season. Out of the five matches that Rajasthan has won this season, Sanju was the top scorer in four. Sanju has hit 42 fours and 21 sixes this season while batting at an excellent average of 57.43 and strike rate of 167.52.
Sanju had a slow start against Delhi. He scored only 22 runs in the first 22 balls. There was pressure on Sanju after captain Ruturaj Gaikwad was out early in the powerplay. However, Urvil Patel, who came at number three, reduced the pressure on Sanju by hitting two sixes, but he too was out soon. After this, Sanju changed gears by hitting a six off Kuldeep Yadav in the eighth over and hit consecutive fours on T Natarajan in the very next over. Sanju completed his fifty in just 32 balls by hitting two consecutive sixes and a four in the 12th over of Kuldeep.
After this, Sanju ended Delhi’s last hope by hitting consecutive fours on Mitchell Starc. Sanju quickly crossed 80 by hitting two sixes and a four in Natarajan’s 15th over. It seemed that Sanju would score his third century of the season, but the dynamic batting of young Karthik Sharma ensured Rajasthan’s victory. In the list of IPL run-scorers, Sai Sudarshan (385), Ryan Rickleton (380), Virat Kohli (379), Shubman Gill (378) and Prabhsimran Singh (361) are in the top 10 behind Sanju.